South Carolina jury finds store owner not guilty of murder in killing of 14-year-old
IT. 644 IN TIME FOR NEWS TO GO, WE HAVE A LOOK AT TODAY’S TOP NEWS STORIES. YOUR TRAFFIC AND WEATHER ALL BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT THE DOOR. WE’RE BEGINNING WITH BREAKING NEWS OUT OF ANDERSON COUNTY. THE CORONER SAYS A MAN HAS DIED AFTER A CRASH. IT HAPPENED ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON ON ABBEVILLE HIGHWAY NEAR MIDDLETON ROAD. THE CORONER SAYS THE VICTIM HIT A TREE. NO OTHER CARS WERE INVOLVED. THE NAME OF THE VICTIM HAS NOT YET BEEN RELEASED. AND THE COMMUNITY IS SHOWING SUPPORT FOR THE FAMILY. SERGEANT DIANA MUNOZ LOST HER LIFE. SERGEANT ASHLEY MUNOZ AND HER PARENTS, ARTURO AND MARIA MUNOZ, IN A HEAD ON CRASH ON MAY 15TH IN TOTAL. THE CRASH KILLED FIVE PEOPLE AND DIANA REMAINS IN THE HOSPITAL WITH CRITICAL INJURIES. SIP AND DIP, A WELLNESS SOCIAL CLUB, HELD A COLD PLUNGE CHALLENGE BENEFITING THE FAMILY, WITH HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE YESTERDAY. THE EVENT RAISED MORE THAN $3,000 AND ONE COMMUNITY MEMBER MATCHED $2,000 IN DONATIONS. THAT BROUGHT THE TOTAL AMOUNT RAISED TO MORE THAN $5,000. IT JUST GOES TO ANOTHER LEVEL WHEN SOMEONE LITERALLY DEDICATES THEIR LIFE TO TAKING CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY, THAT WHEN THEY’RE IN A TIME OF NEED, I HOPE THAT THEY FEEL THE IMPACT OF THAT COME BACK TO THEM WHEN THEY NEED US MOST. TO CELEBRATE THE $500 MARK, OWNER OF SWAMP RABBIT MOVING CHRIS SWEET TOOK THE PLUNGE. AND THE SUPPORT DIDN’T STOP THERE EITHER. MAIN AND MILL GRILL ON SOUTH MAIN STREET HOSTED A CHILI COOK OFF AND SILENT AUCTION SATURDAY THAT RAISED NEARLY $2,700. ORGANIZERS SAID ALL THE PROCEEDS WILL GO TO A GOFUNDME HAS ALSO RAISED MORE THAN $103,000 FOR DIANA AND HER TWO SMALL CHILDREN. YOU CAN FIND A LINK TO THAT GOFUNDME RIGHT NOW ON WYFF 4 DOT COM. AND A NEW POLL SHOWING IT’S ANYBODY’S GAME TO WIN THE PRIMARY ELECTIONS FOR SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR NEXT WEEK. THE SURVEY FROM THE S.C. POLICY COUNCIL SAMPLED 1000 LIKELY VOTERS BETWEEN MAY 18TH AND THE 21ST. FOR REPUBLICANS, FIVE CANDIDATES WERE WITHIN SIX PERCENTAGE POINTS OF EACH OTHER, WITH PAMELA ABBOTT AT THE TOP AND RON READY WRAPPING UP THAT GROUP. THIS POLL WAS CONDUCTED BEFORE PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP ENDORSED ABBOTT FOR THE POSITION. 27% OF VOTERS DO REMAIN UNDECIDED FOR DEMOCRATS. JERMAINE JOHNSON HAD A CLEAR LEAD OVER BILLY WEBSTER AND MULLINS MCLEOD, BUT NEARLY HALF OF THOSE POLLED SAID THEY WERE UNSURE. THE PRIMARY ELECTION IS ON JUNE 9TH AND EARLY VOTING IS UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW IN GREENVILLE COUNTY, SCHOOLS ARE HOLDING THEIR SECOND READING OF ITS FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET TONIGHT. THIS YEAR’S BUDGET PROPOSAL INCLUDES A FEW BIG CHANGES, INCLUDING PAY RAISES FOR TEACHERS AND STAFF. THAT RAISES A $2,500 INCREASE FOR EVERY TEACHER, REGARDLESS OF EXPERIENCE. OTHER STAFF WOULD SEE 3.5% PAY INCREASES, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT SAYS THOSE RAISES WOULD HAPPEN WITHOUT A RISE IN TAXES. TONIGHT’S MEETING AT 6:00 INCLUDES A PUBLIC HEARING AT THE DISTRICT CENTRAL OFFICE ON EAST CAMPERDOWN WAY, AND IT’S THE SECOND READING OF THE BUDGET, WHICH THE DISTRICT IS RECOMMENDING TO BE APPROVED. DIGGING IN A CHILI COOK OFF WITH A SPECIAL GUEST ACTOR, BRIAN BAUMGARTNER. THE ACTOR, BEST KNOWN FOR HIS ROLE AS KEVIN MALONE ON THE OFFICE, MADE AN APPEARANCE AT FLUOR FIELD YESTERDAY. I LIKE A WIDE VARIETY OF CHILIES AND, YOU KNOW, REEDY HERE WAS HECKLING ME ABOUT NO BEANS AND CHILI. I, OF COURSE, PREFER THE BEANS, BUT IT’S PERSONAL PREFERENCE TEAM. NO BEANS OVER HERE. MEANWHILE, GUESTS GOT TO SAMPLE CHILI FROM AREA RESTAURANTS AND HELP JUDGE THE COMPETITION FANS. YOU GOT VIP TICKETS? GOT THE CHANCE TO TAKE PICTURES AND MEET BAUMGARTNER. AND AS AMERICA GETS READY TO CELEBRATE ITS 250TH BIRTHDAY, THE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF THE UPSTATE GREENVILLE IS BRINGING HISTORY TO LIFE. PIECES HAVE ALREADY BEEN INSTALLED FOR REVOLUTIONARY WAR EXHIBITS. IT WILL SHOWCASE WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE IN OUR AREA DURING AND AROUND THE 1700S. THE EXHIBIT FEATURES SEVERAL DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND IS SET TO OPEN ON FRIDAY, JUNE 25TH. PROSTATE CANCER SCREENING IS GETTING RENEWED ATTENTION DURING MEN’S HEALTH MONTH THIS JUNE, AND DOCTORS SAY NOT ALL TESTS ARE THE SAME. THE PSA BLOOD TEST HELPS SCREEN FOR PROSTATE CANCER EARLY, BUT A NEWER TECHNOLOGY CALLED A PSMA PET SCAN, USES IMAGING TO DETECT WHETHER CANCER HAS SPREAD BEYOND THE PROSTATE. I TOOK IT IN AND SAT DOWN WITH MY ONCOLOGIST AND SAID, TELL ME ABOUT THIS PSMA SCAN. AND THAT WAS THE CATALYST FOR US INVOLVING THAT IN AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR HEALTH CARE PLAN GOING FORWARD. DOCTORS SAY PSMA SCANS CAN PINPOINT WHERE CANCER CELLS MIGHT BE LOCATED IN THE BODY, HELPING GUIDE TREATMENT DECISIONS. THEY RECOMMEND MEN WITH AN AVERAGE RISK START PSA SCREENING DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN 45 AND 50 AND THOSE AT HIGHER RISK, INCLUDING BLACK MEN AND MEN WITH A FAMILY HISTORY, SHOULD START SOONER, CHRIS. AND GOOD MONDAY MORNING. IT IS A LIVE SUPER DOPPLER FOUR IMPACT A THE REASON WHY WE GOT SOME STRONGER STORMS HEADED OUR WAY LATER THIS AFTERNOON INTO YOUR EARLY EVENING HOURS. AS OF RIGHT NOW, THOUGH, GETTING YOU OUT THE DOOR FOR A MONDAY MORNING. NOT TOO BAD. YOU COULD SEE SOME SUNSHINE OUT THERE AND WE’RE STAYING DRY. BEGINNING TO SEE SOME PEEKS OF SUN IN BETWEEN THE CLOUDS. WE’RE GOING TO BE IN THE LOW 60S ACROSS THE AREA, BUT MILD, A BIT MORE MUGGY OUTSIDE AS WELL. FOR MOST OF US. TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE AREA MID 60S OR LOW 60S, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE. THAT WILL BE 61 INTO ASHEVILLE, 63 INTO GREENVILLE, AND 66 FOR FOLKS IN ABBEVILLE. SO AS YOU’RE WAKING UP EARLY THIS MORNING, A MILD BIT OF A MUGGY START. THE DEW POINTS ARE ALSO RISING. IT’S THE FIRST DAY OF JUNE. IT’S GOING TO FEEL LIKE IT OUT THERE. HERE’S THE NEXT 12 HOURS IS. YES, I’M INTRODUCING THAT RISK OF RAIN A BIT CLOSER TOWARDS 2 TO 3:00. A FEW OF US COULD BE STAYING DRY INTO YOUR AFTERNOON. THIS IS GOING TO BE A SEVERE THREAT FOR FOLKS IN OUR SOUTHERN COUNTIES FOR THE MOST PART. BUT I STILL WANT YOU TO BE AWARE LATER THIS EVENING, AS THUNDER AND LIGHTNING, HEAVY RAIN, OF COURSE, AND HIGHER WIND GUSTS COULD BE THE POSSIBILITY LATER THIS AFTERNOON, EVEN TO YOUR DINNERTIME, RIGHT AS YOU’RE DRIVING HOME, POTENTIALLY RUNNING INTO ONE OF THESE STORMS ON THE ROADS. SO SOMETHING TO BE AWARE OF FOR YOU. LATE THIS AFTERNOON. I HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS. FINALLY THOUGH. LOOKS LIKE BY TUESDAY COULD BE A LITTLE BIT COOLER, BUT MORE RAIN BY WEDNESDAY WE’RE GOING TO BE DRYING UP AND TEMPERATURES SLOWLY WARMING UP TO NEAR NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. BACK INTO THE MID 80S. FINALLY FEELING A BIT MORE LIKE SUMMERTIME. AS WE GET A BIT CLOSER INTO YOUR WEEKEND. THANKS, GRACE. AND AS WE HEAD OUTSIDE TAKING A LIVE LOOK RIGHT NOW ALONG HIGHWAY 153 HERE, THIS IS I-85. AS YOU CAN SEE THINGS MOVING SMOOTHLY BOTH NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND LANES THERE. THAT STORY CONTINUES AS WE TAKE A LOOK THROUGHOUT THE REST OF OUR AREA. DEFINITELY NICE GREEN LANES ALONG 85 INTO ANDERSON COUNTY. 385 LOOKING GOOD. 26 IS LOOKING GOOD. BUT HEY, CHECK OUT THOSE SLOWDOWNS WE’RE SEEING IN BOTH NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND LANES OF I-85 BETWEEN GREENVILLE AND SPARTANBURG. THAT’S THAT TYPICAL TRAFFIC WE EXPECT TO SEE AS WE HEAD INTO OUR 7:00 HOUR. NOW, TAKING A LOOK AT THE REST OF OUR AREA, 26, 85, THREE, 85 TRAVEL TIMES ARE STILL LOOKING GOOD AND GREEN CHIMNEY ROCK STATE PARK WILL BE CLOSED STARTING TODAY WHILE ROAD REPAIRS ARE COMPLETED. THAT’S BECAUSE OF A SMALL LANDSLIDE ALONG THE PARK’S MAIN ROAD, WHICH WAS CAUSED BY RECENT RAINFALL. THE CLOSURE WILL ONLY IMPACT THE STATE PARK ACCESS. THE RUMBLING BALD ACCESS DOES REMAIN OPEN AND THAT CLOSURE IS EXPECTED TO BE LIFTED ON SATURDAY. WORK CONTINUES THIS MORNING NEAR ASHEVILLE TO IMPROVE ROAD CONDITIONS. IMPROVEMENTS ARE BEING MADE ALONG HAYWOOD ROAD IN WEST ASHEVILLE. RESURFACING OPERATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN JULY, WHICH WILL PROMPT LANE CLOSURES IN THOSE ACTIVE WORK ZONES. THE PROJECT INCLUDES BICYCLE LANES, PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS AND ADA COMPLIANT CURB RAMPS. WORK REMAINS ON SCHEDULE AND IS SET TO BE COMPLETED IN NOVEMBER, BUT CREWS WANT TO REMIND DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS ALIKE TO STAY ALERT AND FOLLOW POSTED SIGNS WHILE THAT WORK CONTINUES. STARTING TODAY, THE PUMPKIN TOWN HIGHWAY BRIDGE OVER ILLINOIS RIVER IN PICKENS COUNTY WILL BE CLOSED FOR REPAIRS. YOU CAN SEE THE DETOUR MAP AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IT’S ON YOUR SCREEN RIGHT NOW. IT WILL ALLOW FOR REPAIRS AND UPGRADES TO IMPROVE THE BRIDGE’S OVERALL SAFETY, SCDOT SAYS. YOU CAN USE HIGHWAY 11, HIGHWAY ONE, 78, MOOREFIELD MEMORIAL HIGHWAY AND MAIN STREET FOR DETOURS. THE BRIDGE WILL BE CLOSED UNTIL THE END OF SUMMER, AND TODAY YOU CAN PICK UP THE SPARTANBURG COUNTY PARKS $50 FARMERS MARKET VOUCHERS. THE AGENCY IS PARTNERING WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES TO HAND OUT 800 OF THOSE VOUCHERS. TO QUALIFY, YOU NEED TO LIVE IN SPARTANBURG COUNTY, BE 60 YEARS OR OLDER BY TODAY AND MEET THE INCOME REQUIREMENTS SHOWN ON YOUR SCREEN. STAFF SAY THE VOUCHERS WILL BE HANDED OUT ON A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE BASIS, AND YOU CAN FIND THE PICKUP SCHEDULE ON SPARTANBURG PARKS.ORG. AND THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT WANTS PICTURES OF YOU AT WORK. THE SC AT WORK PHOTO CONTEST AIMS TO CELEBRATE THE HARD WORK OF THOSE KEEPING STATE GOING. YOU CAN SUBMIT REGARDLESS OF YOUR COMPANY SIZE, INDUSTRY OR LOCATION. THROUGH JUNE 14TH. YOU CAN FIND THE FORM ON THE DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AND WORKFORCE WEBSITE. THE WINNER WIL
South Carolina jury finds store owner not guilty of murder in killing of 14-year-old
Updated: 10:19 PM EDT Jun 1, 2026
Editorial Standards
A South Carolina jury on Monday found a store owner not guilty of murder in the 2023 shooting of a Black 14-year-old.The jury returned the verdict for Chikei Rick Chow. Chow, 61, who is Asian, shot Cyrus Carmack-Belton in the back after chasing him from his convenience store in Columbia, but maintained he acted to defend his son. The killing sent waves of anguish and grief through the African American community in Richland County, where nearly half the population is Black.After the verdict was read, sobs and cries of distress could be heard coming from Carmack-Belton’s family seated in the gallery. Chow sat silently frozen before slowly bowing his head onto his interlocked hands.Prosecutors and a defense lawyer in closing arguments painted different pictures of the 2023 shooting. Prosecutors said Chow acted in anger because he wrongly thought the teen had stolen four bottles of water from the store. A defense lawyer said Chow fired to defend his son only after the teen pointed a gun at him.“This case is not about a shoplifter. This case is about a father who sees a gun pointed at his son and had to make a decision,” Defense attorney Shaun Kent told jurors during closing arguments. The defense attorney said Andy Chow testified that Carmack-Belton pointed a gun at him.Prosecutors acknowledged Carmack-Belton had a semiautomatic pistol, but they say it fell on the ground during the chase, and he never threatened anyone with it. Prosecutors said Chow chased the teen more than 130 yards (119 meters) from the store.Solicitor Byron E. Gipson told jurors that Chow “chased a kid down, shot him in the back.”During closing arguments, Gipson placed a bottle of water before jurors. Gipson said that Chow “at the end of the day, believed that a human is not more than that.”Gipson said multiple witnesses testified that they didn’t see anything in Carmack-Belton’s hands and didn’t see him point a gun as he ran from the store.“Nobody testified that happened that doesn’t have the last name Chow,” Gipson said.The fatal shooting prompted vigils and protests outside the store. Empty water bottles were arranged to spell out “Cyrus” at one 2023 vigil.
A South Carolina jury on Monday found a store owner not guilty of murder in the 2023 shooting of a Black 14-year-old.
The jury returned the verdict for Chikei Rick Chow. Chow, 61, who is Asian, shot Cyrus Carmack-Belton in the back after chasing him from his convenience store in Columbia, but maintained he acted to defend his son. The killing sent waves of anguish and grief through the African American community in Richland County, where nearly half the population is Black.
After the verdict was read, sobs and cries of distress could be heard coming from Carmack-Belton’s family seated in the gallery. Chow sat silently frozen before slowly bowing his head onto his interlocked hands.
Prosecutors and a defense lawyer in closing arguments painted different pictures of the 2023 shooting. Prosecutors said Chow acted in anger because he wrongly thought the teen had stolen four bottles of water from the store. A defense lawyer said Chow fired to defend his son only after the teen pointed a gun at him.
“This case is not about a shoplifter. This case is about a father who sees a gun pointed at his son and had to make a decision,” Defense attorney Shaun Kent told jurors during closing arguments. The defense attorney said Andy Chow testified that Carmack-Belton pointed a gun at him.
Prosecutors acknowledged Carmack-Belton had a semiautomatic pistol, but they say it fell on the ground during the chase, and he never threatened anyone with it. Prosecutors said Chow chased the teen more than 130 yards (119 meters) from the store.
Solicitor Byron E. Gipson told jurors that Chow “chased a kid down, shot him in the back.”
During closing arguments, Gipson placed a bottle of water before jurors. Gipson said that Chow “at the end of the day, believed that a human is not more than that.”
Gipson said multiple witnesses testified that they didn’t see anything in Carmack-Belton’s hands and didn’t see him point a gun as he ran from the store.
“Nobody testified that happened that doesn’t have the last name Chow,” Gipson said.
The fatal shooting prompted vigils and protests outside the store. Empty water bottles were arranged to spell out “Cyrus” at one 2023 vigil.
